While We're Here
by martinskki
Summary: the story of Lucas, Maya, and their friends, wringing every drop of adventure out of their last summer together before life gets real.
1. Becoming Kings

**summer vacation: day 1**

"You guys ready to kick the summer off with a bang?" Maya waltzed in front of the group, spinning to face them, an excited grin on her lips.

Lucas joined her at the head of the pack, donned in a pair of neon blue swim trunks and a black tee, perpetuating his style of ridiculously plain and infuriatingly good-looking. "Let's do this." He exclaimed, his voice laced with excitement and hesitation.

Maya sensed this and shoved him playfully with her shoulder, a way of saying "loosen up" without actually saying it.

"I don't know about this." Riley took in the scene in front of her: Missy Bradford's house (palace, really), blaring music seeping through the cracks in the brick, sweaty teenagers practically pouring out of the windows, and the smell of chlorine and alcohol drifting from the backyard.

Farkle nodded in agreement, digging his hands into the pocket of his jacket. "Yeah, this is pretty intense."

Maya rolled her eyes, blowing a strand of golden hair off of her face. "Come on, we're seniors now. Kings again! Don't you wanna start living like it?"

Riley shook her head, breathing hard. "Maya, I've never even been to a party where birthday cake wasn't involved, and you expect me to be able to handle this?" She crossed her arms over her chest, almost pouting.

"Hey, there could be birthday cake in there!" Maya's tone was inspiriting as she shoved her thumb in the direction of the house.

Zay slung an arm around Riley's neck, patting her far shoulder. "It'll be fun, Sugar. And if you don't like it, I promise you will never have to step foot in a party ever again." He gave her a reassuring smirk, encouraging a shy giggle from her.

Riley sighed apprehensively, gazing at Zay a moment too long. "Alright. Let's give it a try." She forced her feet to start moving toward the door before she could change her mind.

"That's my girl." Zay followed her lead, hurriedly catching up to her and intertwining their fingers.

Maya trailed behind, her loose waves bouncing with enthusiasm as she walked. Her blonde head was like a flashlight against the dark night, and Lucas used it to guide his way through the crowd of drunk teens on the lawn, until he realized there was a link missing in their chain. He spun on his heel to see Farkle frozen in place, absorbing the atmosphere around him.

"You coming?" Lucas half-yelled back at him, attempting to combat a group of babbling sophomores on the front steps.

Farkle focused his gaze on Lucas, snapping back into reality. "Do I really have a choice?" He called out.

Lucas gave him a "you know you don't" look, his eyes squinting and his nose slightly scrunching, before walking backwards to retrieve his best friend, slapping some confidence into him by clapping him on the back and leading him into the party with his head held high. Maybe, just maybe, they would finally feel like kings again.

—

"Riley, put that DOWN." Maya confiscated a glass sculpture from Riley's slippery hands, placing it back in its spot on the coffee table.

"Boo, you whore." Riley stuck her bottom lip out and full on pouted at Maya, arms crossed and tongue out, morphing into a toddler in seconds.

Maya glared at her best friend, disgusted by her response. "Riles, I know you're drunk, but if you ever quote Mean Girls un-ironically again, I'm disowning you."

Riley pouted for a moment more, then leaped to her feet. "More cake!" She squealed, sprinting into the kitchen on wobbly, noodle-like limbs.

"Oh, over my dead body." Maya grunted, chasing after the brunette with determination in her stride. Riley's stride, however, held something more like detachment from her surroundings as she skipped through the cliques of people lining the walls of the house, bumping into a new person with every step.

While mid air in a skip, her slim figure crashed into a brick wall, and a cup of beer was poured down the front of her white shirt, her bright green bikini now peeking through, front and center for everyone to see.

"Shit." she muttered, peeling the drenched cloth from her stomach. "Maya, this wall poured something on me!" Riley was screaming, punching the wall with tiny, balled up fists. "Silly wall."

Maya emerged from the crowd seconds later, practically wheezing. Being barely five feet tall in a sea of giant jocks and model cheerleaders wasn't exactly a walk in the park. "Jesus Christ, Riley, that's not a wall, it's Billy Ross." Billy was cracking up as he towered over the two girls, crushing his now empty red solo cup in his right hand.

"Oh, Billy! Silly Billy! Billy silly! Billy, silly, silly, Billy, Billy, silly…" Riley poked at Billy's chest with every rhyme, staring up at him, oblivious to how insane she appeared to anyone at least a little bit sober.

Maya launched forward, gripping her shoulders with both hands. "That's enough of that." She tore Riley away from Billy before she could start serenading him with more rhymes, giving the jock a sympathetic "what are you gonna do?" shrug as she steered their way out of the situation.

"Maya, I'm all wet and sticky." Riley broke away from Maya's grasp as soon as they were in the backyard. The majority of the party goers outside were crowded around the pool, dipping their feet in and kicking up water, nobody yet daring to fully submerge themselves.

Maya turned away for a second, taking a break from playing baby sitter to survey the faces around them, hoping to spot a familiar one. Sure enough, Lucas's head popped up from behind a shrub, which he seemed to be searching around for something; or someone.

"Hey Riles, let's go find out what Luc.." She stopped mid sentence when she turned around and realized her friend was gone, disappeared from sight in ten seconds flat. She quickly scanned the entire back patio and pool area, but it was as if Riley had somehow gained one of those invisibility jackets or whatever from those wizard movies she never shut up about.

Maya sighed defeatedly and ran her fingers through her tangled mess of hair, strutting toward Lucas with heavy steps. When she got to him, she had to practically jog to keep up with his hurried pace.

"What's wrong Huckleberry, lose a contact or something?" Lucas was rummaging through the Bradford's many ornamental bushes and trees, his demeanor focused.

Lucas pushed a limb out of his way, barely missing Maya's face with the leaves. "More like a person." He grunted, making his way to the poolside.

Maya trotted behind, stifling a chuckle. "So Farkle found the birthday cake flavored vodka too?"

Lucas started grabbing guys with skinny builds by the shoulders, spinning them around to see their faces. "Yup. And it wasn't pretty. He got two shots in and decided it tasted better when he poured it over his fucking head."

Maya bit her lip at the sight of a worried Lucas, something she never got tired of seeing. "Yeah, Riley's kind of in the same boat."

Lucas jerked his head in her direction, his floppy brown mop of hair falling from the humidity in the air. "You lost her too?"

She gritted her teeth. "No, I wouldn't say I lost her. She just disappeared. And I can't find her." Maya made a clicking sound with her tongue, her face forming a matching guilty expression.

He scowled at her from his crouched position next to a random dude with his feet in the pool. "So you lost her." Lucas stopped his crazed search and pinched the bridge of his nose in distress. "Great. First Zay, then Farkle, Now Riley. We should've put them all on a leash."

"Wait, you lost Zay too?" Maya subconsciously reached a hand out and touched Lucas's bicep, her voice raising in suspicion.

Lucas waved her accusing expression off. "Yeah, but he didn't drink anything. He got swept away by a pack of football players doing God knows what upstairs."

"Watch this!" Right on cue, a familiar voice called out from above them, and they looked up to see Zay hanging off the edge of the balcony, a group of huge, muscular, un-Zay-like guys cheering him on from behind. "I'm gonna jump in!"

Lucas looked like he might actually throw up. "No the hell you're not!" He yelled, his voice changing like it always did when he got serious.

Maya watched Lucas shake with fear and anger, the veins in his temple bulging out, threatening action. "Zay, get off the railing. You're being fucking stupid." She knew this was no laughing matter, and that Zay could very well get seriously injured, but she couldn't help but feel a smile tug at her lips at the sight of her friend dangling from the balcony like a monkey.

The entire backyard had started paying attention now, and they were well past the point of trying not to make a scene. "The water's eight feet deep, I'll be fine!" The meatheads behind him hurrahed and pumped their fists in the air, simultaneously pumping Zay's ego that much bigger.

Maya and Lucas shared an uneasy glance, carrying on a full conversation with only their eyes. Maya raised her eyebrows, "what do we do?" Lucas tilted his head, "I should go up there." Maya sucked in a hard breath and widened her expression, then nodded in the direction of the house, "hurry."

Lucas sprinted across the patio and through the glass doors at full speed, and Maya knew he'd be up on the balcony with Zay and the jocks before she had time to look up. "Zay, Riley would not approve of this." She called out, attempting to talk him down and make Lucas's job a bit easier.

"Go Zay! Jump for joy! You can do it!" Riley's squeaky voice sang into the night, though she was still out of sight.

Maya raised her arms in defeat, landing them on top of her head in frustration. "You've got to be kidding me."

Suddenly, Lucas materialized right behind Zay, shoving his way through the group of football players as easy as anything. "Zay. This is the stupidest thing you've ever done. And I got expelled for you once."

Zay turned to stare at his best friend, a wink of mischief in his eyes. "I knew you'd come." He swung his legs over the railing, plopping down onto the solid ground of the balcony in satisfaction. "Sorry boys, show's over." He patted a couple of the guys on the chest, his lips tight in a content grin. They all hardened their jaws, practically growling at him as he made his way back inside. He collected Riley off of Billy Ross's back, looping his arm around her waist, reclaiming her as his own.

"You fucker." Lucas shook his head, shoving his tongue into his cheek disbelievingly. He punched Zay in the arm as they sauntered through the Bradford house, making their way back outside to retrieve Maya, and hopefully get out of there. "You've gotta stop pulling shit like that man. You're going to actually get hurt someday."

Zay winced, retreating into Riley's embrace even more as she giddily rested her head into the crook of his neck, humming some unidentified song that she was probably making up as she went. "Hey, I'm an entertainer, my friend. It's just in my nature to be dangerous."

"Believe me, I know." Lucas assured him as they approached Maya, who was now lounging in a lawn chair, her feet propped up on a table, picking at her nails lazily as if they had been gone for two weeks and she had just left on vacation.

"You ready to head out?" Lucas asked, stepping away from Zay and Riley, who were whispering things in each other's ears that he definitely had no interest in hearing.

Maya glanced at him, then at the other two, then back down at her nails. "Do you see a problem with this scenario, Huckleberry?" She inquired, scraping at some leftover polish on her thumb.

Lucas raised one eyebrow inquisitively, briefly peeking at his group of friends. Maya watched him carefully as he tried to put the puzzle together, wondering if he too, was now intoxicated. "Shit." He finally groused. "Farkle."

"Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!" She shook her finger at him, her tone playful.

He looked between his friends, pondering how he was going to keep them all in one place while he sought the final link in their chain. "Okay, you keep an eye on them, I'll…"

"CANNON BALLLLL" A high pitched voice echoed into the night, and recognition rang in Maya and Lucas's ears immediately. Maya leaped from her chair, her blonde mane swaying as she whipped her head in the direction of the pool. Lucas didn't even turn around, just stood with his back to the water, afraid to look.

"Give me a break." Maya croaked, her voice shaking as she snickered.

Lucas grimaced as he heard a splash of water, followed by annoyed shrills from people who obviously weren't planning on getting wet. "Did he at least take his shirt off?"

She was doubled over, almost crying from laughter. "Not even his jacket." Was all she could muster up, reaching up from her crouched position to yank his arm, forcing him to watch.

"Oh my god." He said in an exhale, him too, now bursting into a fit of chuckles. Farkle was flopping around in the water, resembling a fish more than a human. He was constantly switching between floating on his back and diving under, kicking his feet in a frenzy, infuriating the people sitting around the edge.

"Oh Farkle is in the pool? I want to get in the pool! Zay, let's get in the pool!" Riley suggested as she was darting toward the diving board, not looking back once.

"Okay, but maybe you wanna take off your…" Zay attempted to catch her before she plunged into the water, denim shorts and all.

He stood at the edge of the diving board, contemplating for just a moment. "To hell with it." He stepped off the board casually, plugging his nose and letting himself fall to the bottom of the pool before floating back to the top to make sure Riley was capable of buoyancy while under the influence.

The three looked insane, claiming the giant stretch of water as their own as they splashed each other in the face and dunked their heads under lightheartedly, ignoring the cries and dirty looks from irked teens.

Lucas and Maya shared speculative glances, once again having a conversation with no words. He gritted his teeth, "should we?", she shrugged, "why not?".

"We need two more to play chicken!" Riley shouted to no-one in particular as she climbed onto Zay's shoulders, patting at his head as if it were a full drum set.

The two that were still dry laughed yet again, and began stripping themselves of their normal clothes, not making the same mistake their friends did. All Lucas had to do was pull his shirt over his head, and then he was off, sprinting toward the pool and tucking his legs to his chest as he perfectly cannon balled into the water, creating a splash so big it sprinkled Maya's bare stomach. She jogged to the edge and stopped for a moment, soaking in the scene before she had to join it. Her gaze was directed at Lucas's glistening biceps and flexed chest as he dunked Farkle underwater, uncontainable glee radiating from his smile. He ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head like a dog, slinging water to the other end of the pool before squinting up at her, the droplets from his forehead falling into his eyes.

"You coming in or what?" He slyly looked her up and down, his eyes lingering on the yellow fabric of her bikini, motioning for her to get in.

She bit her lip impishly and took a few steps back before charging forward and leaping into the pool, landing right next to him in the shallow end, soaking his upper body yet again.

The group roared with excitement, the two drunken members clapping their hands on top of the water and chanting, "Chick-en, chick-en, chick-en!"

"Come on mister 'strong as a horse'." Maya teased, pushing Lucas's shoulders underwater so she could climb on top of them while Riley climbed back onto Zay, struggling to keep upright.

Lucas had an iron grip on Maya's thighs, even though both his hands and her legs were slippery, and from this distance she could smell his preppy cologne over the aroma of chlorine. Normally, she would comment on how it was giving her a headache, but in this moment, she didn't mind the dizzying feeling.

—

The game was tied up. Two points Maya and Lucas, two points Zay and Riley, and what started as a friendly pool game had turned into a fight for victory. Though at first the group had been disruptive and annoying to the party goers, a lot of them had now eagerly gathered back around the pool, as if they were about to watch a championship wrestling match rather than two petite teenage girls push each other around in a pool. Excitement about this sort of thing was definitely a side effect of the alcohol that was inevitability swimming in all of their veins, but the group enjoyed the attention nonetheless.

Farkle stood between the two pairs, acting as a referee. "Alright ladies, whoever wins this one takes it all. On your mark, get set, CHICKEN!" He slapped the water and pointed a finger gun at the sky, sending the fight into action. Lucas lunged forward, launching Maya's outstretched arms straight into Riley's shoulders harder than ever, sure that in her current state this was all it would take to knock her down, but either Zay had incredible balance or Riley had a thighs of steel because this shove only sent them a couple feet backwards.

"That all you got, Hart?" Riley was trying to seem threatening but it was just against her nature, and the remark rolled off her tongue like it tasted sweet.

"She's getting cocky." Lucas warned teasingly.

"Better knock her down a few pegs." Maya rebuttaled, a mischievous glint in her eyes that Lucas could only imagine from his position under her. He leapt forward once more, ducking his head as Maya leaned into Riley, using her whole body to ram her friend into the water, earning them the victory.

"Fuck yeah!" Lucas cursed, bending his head back to look up at his partner. Maya's long, drenched hair swung into his face as she angled herself over him, their faces hovering inches away. "Congrats, partner." He cooed charmingly before dumping her backwards into the water, throwing her feet over her head so she did a full flip. She shot back up quickly, jumping on his head and pushing him under as revenge, holding him there for a second before releasing him. He caught his breath, then scooped her up in his arms bridal-style like there was nothing to it, and she kicked and screamed as he tossed her to the deep end of the pool, sending her plunging to the bottom.

When she emerged, it was as if she had just drowned in a pool of alcohol. Her veins were vibrating against her skin, adrenaline and euphoria pumping through her veins as tipsy strangers high-fived her. Her and Lucas made a victory lap, clapping random people's hands and eating up the attention like they had been craving it their whole lives. Even Farkle and the losers were having a blast as they tried to make a three person chicken team, failing miserably and giving themselves laughter induced headaches.

The entirety of the inebriated kids in the backyard, which was mostly the entirety of the party itself, had just started singing "We Are The Champions", swaying and holding up lighters like this was the highlight of their lives, when a girl's voice screeched from the back door.

"Cops! Everyone out!" It was Missy, her voice shaking with anxiety. All hell broke loose. Kids were dashing around the house, diving into their cars, dropping their cups of beer, running for their lives. The group in the pool started to panic; Zay was desperately trying to keep Riley from crying, Farkle's eyes were as wide as saucers as he struggled to the edge and lifted himself out, and Maya and Lucas were having a full blown parental meltdown.

"What do we do?" Lucas was yelling in his deepest voice over the shrieks and car horns.

Maya looked around in awe, frozen as if the water around her had turned to ice. "The cops could be inside right now!" She was screaming, wishing Riley's dry sobs would quiet down.

"Then we have to GO!" Lucas sprung into action, leaping forward, enveloping Maya's upper back in his large hands as he guided her out of the pool. They grabbed their clothes, not wasting any time to throw them on.

"You get Riley and Zay, I've got Farkle." Maya looped her arm through Farkle's, who was pacing back and forth in front of them, mumbling and biting his nails.

Lucas nodded, "Zay, get the hell out of the pool, man!" He gave his friend a dumbfounded look, scrunching his eyebrows. He turned back around to face the miniature blonde. "Meet at my truck in five." He demanded. "And Maya," She stopped walking, Farkle not getting the memo and bouncing back at her like a rubber band. "Put him in the back. I can't have puke in my seats."

Maya rolled her eyes at the waste of time his request took. "Oh, for Christ's sake Huckleberry." She shooed him off and started sprinting around the corner of the house, hoping she remembered where Lucas parked.

"Alright you two, we've gotta get out of here." Lucas spoke directly to Zay, who was holding Riley up by her waist. Her neck was slumped against his shoulder and her eyes were squeezed shut, as if the stars had suddenly become too bright for her. "Shit, can she walk?"

"YerIcuhwaljusfine" Riley muttered something unintelligible, pointing her head in Lucas's direction with her eyes still shut.

"I'm gonna have to go with 'no' on that one." Zay said decidedly, realizing the alcohol had officially completely kicked in.

Lucas groaned, "Ugh, put her on your back, and let's go." The lights behind Missy's house shut off, leaving them with nothing but the moon to light their path.

Zay pulled Riley's arms over his head, stretching her across his back horizontally, their bodies creating a plus sign when he stood up. "You remember where you parked?" He asked as Lucas furiously pressed the alarm button on his truck, answering his question.

"It was somewhere on this road…" He stated remorsefully as they approached the front of Missy's estate. There were no cop cars to be seen, but that didn't mean they weren't coming, and Lucas felt panic rise in his throat.

"Fuckinfantastic." Riley grumbled the two words as one into Zay's side.

Zay chuckled, stopping for a moment to adjust his grip on her. "What she said."

Lucas rolled is eyes at the pair, his ears perking up when he finally heard his truck beeping from its spot down the road. "Found it." From here, he could make out Maya forcing Farkle into the bed of the truck, her shirt and denim shorts slung over her shoulder, still yet to be put on, and he couldn't help but beam at the hilarity of it all.

By the time the three half-walked, half-jogged to the truck and Lucas swung open the driver's side door, Maya was already comfy in the front seat, her legs kicked up on the dashboard. "I was starting to think I was gonna have to come bail you guys out of jail." She pestered.

Lucas glowered at her, putting his key in the ignition and starting the truck. "How the hell did you even get in?"

"You left it unlocked, genius. Don't worry, I checked your glove compartment. Everything valuable is in good hands." She winked at him, patting the pockets of her shorts that she finally decided to put on.

"If anything is missing from my glove compartment, your ass is mine." He teased, turning on the radio.

Maya swatted at his hand. "You don't get to control of the radio. I was here first." She switched the station immediately.

"It's my truck!" Lucas lifted his hands from the steering wheel in disbelief, but let her be, knowing he had to choose his battles with her, and that this wasn't one he would win.

Seconds later, Zay slid into the backseat, slamming the door behind him. "Alright, those two should be okay. They're practically snoozing right now."

Lucas nodded in triumph, and finally pulled out onto the road, just grateful they made it out of there handcuff-free.

"So, where to?" Maya questioned, drumming her fingers on her thigh to the beat of the music.

Lucas glanced in the rearview mirror at Zay, then at the bed of the truck, imagining what kind of nonsense their drunken friends were babbling about at the moment. Then he looked over to Maya, who was still staring at him expectedly, mischief in her eyes and fire in her smile, and he realized he didn't want the night to end just yet. "I have an idea."

—

Being awake at three in the morning had never been appealing to anyone in the group really, except for maybe Farkle, who regularly stayed up past his bed time doing homework, or Maya, who had a knack for coming home late, even when all she did that night was hang out at Riley's. But there was something about being in Lucas's backyard, gathered around a bonfire (which had become their thing when they were too tired to do anything exciting), passing a bottle of expensive whiskey Lucas stole from his parent's liquor cabinet back and forth, and reminiscing on the night and the school year behind them, that was exactly what they all needed.

On the ride over, Riley and Farkle had sobered up some, but they were still only limited to three sips, out of pure fear that they would end up passed out in the grass with alcohol poisoning. Riley had already used up all of hers, and Farkle had just downed his second.

"Just one more." The pretty brunette whined, putting all of her effort into yanking the bottle from Zay's hands.

"Afraid not, Sugar." Zay yanked it back from her with ease and passed it on to Maya, chuckling at his girlfriend's current condition. The waves in her hair had completely fallen, her dark locks falling pin straight, and her eye makeup had smudged onto her cheeks somehow, most likely as a result of her rubbing her face every two minutes, as if she just wanted to make sure it was still there.

Riley frowned at her boyfriend, then turned to Farkle, batting her eyelashes. "Farkley," She sang, using his nickname that always meant she wanted something, "Can I have your last sip?"

Maya poured some of the honey-colored liquid into her mouth, not minding the burn. "That's not how it works." She chimed in, feeling instantly warmer as she passed the bottle to Lucas. He took a long swallow, savoring the sweet sting just as Maya had. Without thinking, he passed the bottle back to Maya, who absentmindedly finished off its contents, tossing the glass onto the ground in front of them in conquest, sharing a victorious smile with the cowboy next to her.

"Hey! The drunk ones got more than I did!" Zay protested, flipping the blonde off as she devilishly puckered her lips. The group laughed in unison, to which Zay fanned off at first, but eventually joined in on, and they laughed and laughed until their stomachs ached and their chests hurt and they were unsure of what they were laughing about anymore.

Maya took deeps breaths, her cheeks sore from smiling, as she studied the group of people around her individually. Riley was still giggling, but silently, the way she always did when she knew she shouldn't still be laughing. Zay was just staring at her, his face as lit up as hers was. Farkle was gawking at the fire with a grin, his fingernails dug into the log he was sitting on, appearing to be strung out but still elated. And then she turned to her side and glimpsed at Lucas, who was fixated on the stars, and she could see them reflected back in his pupils as he studied the constellations. The light from the fire and the moon on his face mixed into a beautiful blend of warm and cool, which was exactly how she felt with the night air on her skin and the whiskey in her bloodstream.

"Tonight was fun." She finally said, meaning to announce it to the group but forgetting to turn her head away from Lucas. He looked right at her when he heard her voice, their eyes locking for a moment before returning to reality.

Riley beamed, bouncing her head in agreement. "So much fun."

"Even if we did almost get arrested…" Lucas concurred, lightly elbowing Maya.

"Hey, who was the one that got mister 'this is pretty intense' back to your truck safely before you could even get the love birds out of the pool?" Maya defended herself, gesturing towards Farkle.

Farkle bobbed his head at Lucas. "Yeah. If anything, you're the one who almost got us arrested."

Lucas raised both hands in defeat, cracking a guilty smile. "Alright, okay. I'll work on my escape tactics."

"Better work on remembering where you park your damn vehicle too." Zay jabbed, to which everyone replied to with a sarcastic "yeah" and sincere laughs.

When it quieted down, and they were all trying to catch their breath again, Lucas spoke up. "I'm really going to miss you guys." Everyone shot him confused glances, urging him to continue. "When we all go off to college, that is. This is our last summer together before things become hectic and final."

"Lucas, you know we still have next summer, right? We all won't go to college until the fall." Farkle explained, as if his friend didn't already know this.

"I mean, yeah, but this is our last summer as kids. Next year we'll be adults preparing to leave home. It just won't be the same." He shrugged, picking at a twig on the ground below him.

Maya knew exactly what he meant. The thought of them all separating someday was always stuck in the back of her mind, and consistently moved to the front of it whenever they were all together like this. High school wasn't going to last forever. This wasn't going to last forever. And that was terrifying. "Okay. Then how about we have this much fun all summer? Let's make the most of being together while we're here." She suggested, a sly smile turning the corners of her lips toward the sky.

"What exactly do you have in mind?" Farkle questioned, wanting to gage exactly what type of fun they'd be having.

"More parties, less hanging out at Topanga's. More adventures, less laying around out here." She gestured around the Friar backyard, which was big and beautiful, but not exactly a go-to place for rebellious teenage antics.

Riley winced. "So no more bonfires?" She raised her eyebrows, her voice gloomy yet hopeful.

Maya gave her best friend a heartening smile. "Always bonfires." Sitting around a pile of burning wood might not be the craziest thing they could be doing with their summer, but it was special, and not something they could ever give up.

"Let's do it." Lucas smacked the log on either side of his legs in decision, his face glowing with anticipation.

Maya bit her lip and smirked from ear to ear at his reaction, her body filling with impatience and excitement. "Everyone in?"

The group all shared questioning glances before settling on answer. "Let's do it." They all repeated after Lucas, enthusiasm coursing through their veins, becoming a different kind of intoxicated that didn't originate from alcohol. As they grinned at each other in concession, they all knew that this was it. This was the summer they became kings.


	2. Rick and Penelope

**summer vacation: day 4**

After their little agreement under the stars, Maya had gone to work planning their next outing. She usually wasn't one for plans, but something about the idea of another adventure with her favorite people in the world made her whip out a notebook and tear off five slips of paper.

"Alright. Everyone write their name down and put it in…" Maya yanked Lucas's baseball cap from his head, setting his untamed hair free. "This." She decided, a satisfactory grin spread across her lips.

"Hey!" Lucas protested, though, at the sight of Maya's smirk, made no effort to steal back his hat.

Maya chuckled. "Hope you don't mind, Huckleberry."

Lucas shot her a disapproving glance, raising his eyebrows and replying sarcastically. "Not at all."

The others were busy searching around Riley's messy room for something to write with, even Riley herself. "Found one!" Riley shouted a little louder than she needed to, pulling a pen out of a random cup on her bedside table.

"Just one?" Zay questioned, tossing a stray pillow onto the bay window.

Riley jotted down her name, then crossed the room to pass the pen to her boyfriend, dropping her name in the hat on her trip. "Sharing is caring." She stated teasingly, Zay following her lead despite his apparent annoyance.

Farkle scribbled his name onto his paper and placed it with the others, then Lucas and Maya followed suit, Maya gathering them all in a circle when they were done. "Okay, this is how it works. We all draw a name. No take backs, unless you get your own name. Whoever you get is whose fake ID you'll be getting made for them. Got it?"

Everyone nodded their heads eagerly in agreement, taken aback by Maya's sudden leadership. "Huckleberry, you're first." She shoved the cap into his torso abruptly, shuffling its contents eagerly.

Lucas casually dug his hand into the pile of paper, staring straight at it. "No looking, you cheater!" Maya blurted, rising up on her tip toes to cover his eyes with her free hand.

He got a kick out of this, subconsciously taking note of how cute it was that she cared so much. He settled on a slip and pulled it out slowly, Maya removing her slim fingers from his face in unison. Lucas peeked at the paper, fighting off another laugh rising in his throat.

"Satisfied with your pick, Ranger Rick?" Maya rhymed with pride in response to his obvious amusement.

Lucas shifted his jaw, nodding slightly. "Something like that."

"Me next!" Riley burrowed her hand in the remaining four slips, clenching her eyes shut and yanking one out aggressively. It had taken some heavy convincing, but once Maya had gotten her best friend on board with this plan, the wide eyed brunette couldn't stop thinking about it. Riley unfolded the paper to reveal to herself who she'd chosen, letting a small "ooh" escape her lips as her eyes lit up with mischief.

Zay and Farkle picked their names, their poker faces out in full force, leaving Maya with the cap and one last slip. "Guess this one's mine." She declared, snatching the last paper and crumpling it in her tiny fist. She placed the cap on her own head triumphantly, her lips curled in content.

"I'm never getting that back, am I?" Lucas asked, as if he didn't already know the answer. She replied by scrunching her nose and shaking her head, her blonde layers bouncing, then settling under the cap to frame her face perfectly, and Lucas decided his hat had never looked better.

Maya directed her attention back to the group, who had since disbanded from their circle and were propped up on Riley's bed, watching the pair. "So does everyone have the copies of all of our license pictures?" She questioned, her hands folded in front of her like she meant serious business.

The gang replied with scattered "yeah"'s and "yes"'s, certainty and enthusiasm in their voices.

"Perfect." Maya affirmed, crossing the room to rest in her spot in the bay window, positive another night they'd never forget was right around the corner.

* * *

 **summer vacation: day 6**

They had agreed to meet down the block from Temptation- the newest club downtown that Maya had overhead some whiny sophomores mention at Missy's party- at nine o'clock sharp. They all rehearsed their excuses (and, in Riley's case, escape plans) for being out so late a million times, and Farkle had emailed them all detailed directions, so he was baffled as to why him and the girls were still standing outside, waiting for Lucas and Zay at nine-thirty.

"I knew we should've picked them up. Those two could get lost walking across the street." Farkle said, exasperated, throwing his hands in the air and beginning to pace along the curb.

Riley tapped a heel onto the concrete frustratingly, blowing a strand of sleek brown hair off of her perfectly blushed cheek. "This is getting ridiculous. I'm about to freak out. Maya, stop me from pulling a Farkle." She turned to her best friend and flashed her the grimace she always did when she was on the verge of panic.

Maya grabbed Riley by her bare shoulders, her strapless dress and slicked back high pony leaving her chest and back revealed to the world. "It's gonna be fine, Riles. Any minute now, the guys are gonna show up and say something stupid, and we're gonna laugh and.."

"Damn Sugar, look at you!" Zay's voice called from down the sidewalk, his tone full of surprise and approval. The three whipped their heads in his direction, sighing in relief as they discovered that Lucas was with him, the duo strolling toward them with their hands buried in their pockets and their chests puffed out.

Riley blushed as he approached, pretending she had no idea what kind of effect her ensemble would have on him. "You don't clean up so bad yourself." She cooed in his ear, tangling her arms around his bicep and imagining how great they must look standing next to each other.

Maya raised her eyebrows, now her turn to freak out. "Um? What took you guys so long? Did you forget how to read?" She moved from her spot in the shadow of the building, the street lights bouncing off the sequins in her dress and casting tiny beams of light onto the pavement around her.

Lucas sucked in a hard breath at the sight of her completely illuminated, every witty comeback he had prepared on the walk over disappearing as his mind went blank. "We uh, had to pregame." He fumbled in his pockets, pulling a small flask out and almost sending it crashing to the ground. "My dad's bourbon." He shook the flask, the liquid making a sloshing noise as he offered it to her.

Maya scowled, waving away the alcohol. "There's bourbon inside, you morons."

Lucas froze, his mind still free of any thoughts that had nothing to do with the way _that dress_ looked like it had been painted onto Maya. He opened his mouth to say something more than once, a weak "well" even escaping at one point, but after a few, very painful seconds, Zay swooped in.

"Well, we're not even sure this little plan will work anyway. We thought we might as well get a little buzz if this party was gonna be crashed before it even started." He shrugged in conclusion, taking one final swig from his flask.

Maya's jaw dropped a bit at the sight of her friends somewhat doubting her. "Oh, it's going to work." She assured confidently, her head bobbing in agreement with herself. "Speaking of…" She flipped open her clutch, retrieving a small plastic card and raising it into the air. "Time for the swap."

The friends all excitedly leaped into action, hurriedly yanking their own cards from their pockets, naturally gathering in a circle like they had just days before when they picked names. Dangerous smirks danced on their faces, excitement about the night really setting in.

"I'll go first." Farkle spoke up, his hand tightly clasping the ID he was about to give away. "Say hello to Mister Clay Earl Palpico!" Farkle flipped the ID to face the group, revealing Zay's face in the corner. The gang laughed at his new identity as Zay swiped the card from Farkle.

"Really dude? Who the hell's last name is Palpico?" He frowned at his picture on the ID, his eyebrows furrowing as he made an effort to mask his own chuckles trying to escape his throat.

Farkle attempted to stop himself from doubling over. "Yours now, my friend." He clapped Zay on the shoulder before pulling himself together. "Alright, now who got me?"

The circle was silent for a moment, everyone donning sly smiles, until Riley's turned into a cheshire cat grin as she thrust a card toward Farkle. "It was me!" Eagerness physically shook her as she forced him to take the card.

Farkle smirked, flipping the ID to reveal his new name. "Donnie Reg Barnes." He chuckled slightly and nodded at Riley in approval. "Nice."

Riley's smile spread from ear to ear. "Reg because you're a 'REGular guy'." She winked a fake eyelash at him, nudging his arm with her elbow. "Alright, me next!" She clapped her hands together excitedly before turning her palms to the sky and holding her hands together like a platter.

The gang went through their poker face charade for just a moment before Zay slapped the plastic card into Riley's hands. "I got you."

Riley's face brightened even more than it already was, her eyes lighting up as if someone had just plugged christmas lights into her pupils. "YAAAAY!" She shook with joy as she practically pressed the ID to her face. "Sugar Morotia Jones." She stared at it for a second before melting into Zay's side, pressing the card to her chest. "I love it." She pecked him on the cheek, looping her arm around his. "But why Jones?"

Zay leaned into her kiss, turning to face her with a smitten smile on his face as he shrugged. "Sugar Jones just had a good ring to it."

The five friends laughed once again, their stomachs beginning to get sore even though the night had just begun. When they all calmed down, Maya turned to Lucas with a diabolical grin, tapping her freshly polished fingernails on the card in her hand. "Well, Huckleberry, that just leaves you and me." She raised her eyebrows impishly, her lips pressed together as if she was either about to ruin his life or bust out laughing. With his luck, both.

Maya cleared her throat, preparing for her announcement. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm more than happy to introduce you to…Mister… Rick Joe Ranger." She passed him the ID, clapping as soon as it left her hands, the group joining in on the applause as they roared with laughter. "You're named after your favorite relative, isn't that sweet?" Maya jabbed in between giggles.

Lucas looked dumbfounded as he examined the card, shaking his head in disbelief. "You just had to use one of your little nicknames, didn't you?"

Maya scoffed. "Did you expect anything else?"

He ran his tongue along his cheek, adjusting his jaw to repress his chuckles. "Of course not." He was still shaking his head as he tucked the ID into his back pocket. "On that note…" He began, sneering at the small blonde. "Why don't you go ahead and read your name, funny one?" He mocked, poking her ID toward her.

Maya glared at him with suspicion as she ripped the card from his fingers. She read it to herself first, masking her reaction as she glanced up. "Okay guys, I think it's time to head in…" She took a step away from the circle, starting to turn toward the direction of the club.

Lucas caught her forearm, gently pulling her back to them, her small figure bumping into his side. "Oh, no you don't. Read yours out loud, everyone else had to."

Maya gave him a death stare like no other, returning her ID back to her eye line. "PenelopeMayClutterbucket." She murmured through barely parted lips.

Lucas put a hand to his ear, milking every last drop out of this moment. "What was that?"

Maya sighed, closing her eyes in defeat. "My name is Penelope May Clutterbucket."

The group's jaws dropped collectively, small chuckles escaping each of their lips. "Aw, isn't that sweet you guys? She's named after her favorite relative too!" Lucas exclaimed to the other three before directing his gaze back to Maya.

"You're a dead man, Ranger." She poked a finger at his chest, tilting her head to meet his eyes, still a full head shorter than him in her heels.

Lucas smirked down at her, taking her fist with his hand and removing it from his chest. "Strong words from a Clutterbucket." He teased, dropping her hand, immediately regretting it when he felt the loss of heat in his palm.

"Alright you two, we've still got a whole night ahead of us." Riley stepped between them, breaking up their little confrontation.

"You're right Riles. I should make him wait for me to destroy him. It's more fun like that." Maya flipped her hair behind her head, keeping her eyes locked on Lucas's, not willing to lose their unspoken staring contest.

Lucas's expression softened every second he was under Maya's baby blue gaze, and he didn't notice he had lost his mean mug until he could feel his mouth drop open and his breathing hitch. Startled, he looked away, throwing the staring competition to Maya. "We'll see about that, Penelope." He attempted to regain composure as he taunted her, though he was sure he wasn't doing a great job.

"So are we just planning on standing out here all night or are we gonna put these things to good use?" Zay chimed in, breaking the silence and waving his ID in the air.

Riley grabbed his hand, wrapping his arm around her own waist. "You guys ready?" She looked around at the rest of the group as they all came to an agreement with just their eyes, and off they went down the block, heads and spirits high, ready for their next adventure.

* * *

After they did their time in line (which wasn't long since they chose to do this on a Wednesday night), and got past the scary looking bouncer (who gave Maya a suspicious look that made Lucas instinctively step closer to her), the group embarked on their journey through club life, separating practically immediately as they walked through the doors.

"We're gonna go dance." Zay announced over the blasting techno track, Riley dragging him off towards the pack of sweaty people in their mid-twenties grinding on each other in the middle of the room.

Farkle watched them walk away, then turned to Maya and Lucas, suddenly overcome with the urge to leave them alone. "I think I'll go bug the DJ to play something more tolerable." He decided, moon-walking away from the two, encouraging a giggle from them both.

Maya stared out at the scene in front of her as she weighed her options. She could turn left, and drown herself in drunk adults and heavy cologne, or she could turn right, and sit at the bar, which held the promise of booze and room to breathe.

She felt a tap on her right shoulder, and jumped abruptly, unaware of how much she had spaced out, only to find Lucas towering over her with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Excuse me." He began, his tone inviting. "I'm Rick. Can I buy you a drink?" He pretended to hit on her, turning on his charm as easily as flipping on a light switch.

Maya rolled her eyes and punched him in the bicep, but when he didn't give in, she raised her eyebrows, flipping on her charm switch as well. "Quite the pickup line." She played along. "Penelope." She said her pseudo name as a statement, looking him up and down as if this was the first time she'd ever laid eyes on him. "I suppose that will be fine." She tilted her chin away from him and flicked her blonde curls behind her head in one fluid motion, offering him her hand.

"After you." Lucas gestured for her to make her way to the bar as he clasped her palm, resisting the urge to place a kiss on the top of her hand, thinking it might be overkill.

Once seated, Maya wasted no time, signaling for the bartender. "I'll take two vodka sodas." She winked at the guy before facing Lucas again, batting her eyelashes and resting her chin in her hand.

"How did you know that's what I was going to order?" Lucas inquired, still entertaining their stranger charade.

Maya shrugged sarcastically, "Lucky guess."

On cue, the bartender slid them their drinks, shooting Lucas an expecting look. "Sixteen." He demanded, suspicion in his voice and annoyance in his expression.

Lucas's mouth dropped a bit, breaking his role of Rick for a split second before what the guy said clicked. "Right." He whipped out his wallet and slid the guy a twenty, unsure of what tipping standards were at places like this.

The bartender's skeptical gaze melted away as he collected the cash, and the two were left alone at the end of the bar yet again. "So, Rick. Where are you from?" Maya took a long sip of her drink, peering at him over the edge of her glass.

Lucas made an "ahh" sound as he felt the alcohol slide down his throat, the slight burn making the hairs on his arms to stand to attention. "All over." He replied, his legs bumping hers as he twisted in his seat to face her.

Maya looked askance at his response, sliding her arm closer to him, her face still in her palm. "Oh really?" She tested him, lazily picking up her glass and taking another long swallow. One more and she'd be done with the drink already.

Lucas poured the second half of his drink in his mouth, the carbonation jumping around on his tongue, the vodka setting his senses on fire. "Really." He idly danced three fingertips down Maya's forearm that rested on the table, sparks flying in the space between their skin. He already had a flask full of bourbon in his system, and with this drink, he could feel himself drifting to the perfect state of just drunk enough to lose a bit of self control.

Maya froze under his touch, goosebumps leaping from her skin. She swallowed hard, the ghost of the alcohol haunting the back of her throat, craving itself. She peeled her eyes away from his hand on her arm, refusing to let him break her. She focused her gaze on his, noticing the suggestiveness of his manner, the way his lips turned up just a bit at the corners, how he was leaned in so close to her she could smell the sandalwood undertones in the cologne on his neck. She studied his irises, which, even in the dark, she could still tell were strikingly green, and looking back at her with something both scary and electrifying.

She let out a long, deep, contemplative breath before wrapping her free hand around her glass and tossing back the rest of its contents with purpose. She rose to her feet, straightening her dress and running her fingers through her hair in preparation. "Rick, would you like to dance with me?"

Lucas's eyes wandered down Maya's frame like a leaf falling from a tree; slowly and unintentionally. He soaked in this moment, savoring the way her hair fell perfectly around her face, how her dress had cutouts in all of the right places, the way her eyes seemed to literally sparkle whenever one of the flashing lights hit her face. Eventually, he stood up too, their bodies inches apart as he peered down at her, his expression saying something like "Are you sure?", but his mouth uttering the words, "Penelope, I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

It started out as an innocent enough, platonic, two-feet apart dance, the two of them swaying with the rhythm and letting the beat vibrating through the floor guide their feet, their eyes locked in a some-kind-of-tension filled staring contest. It was fun, and they both didn't mind doing this all night if it meant they got to make eyes at each other like this, but then the best song they'd heard all night came on, and it was like the vodka in Maya's veins had finally started taking effect as she subconsciously stepped forward, linking her hands behind Lucas's neck, their torsos still separated, sparks flying in the space between them like at the bar.

"I love this song." Maya mumbled, flipping her head toward the ceiling, feeling her blonde mane of hair brush her lower back, her hips swaying with a mind of their own.

Lucas froze for a moment, suddenly hyperaware of his hands and where they should go, but he took hers at the back of his neck as sign, and placed his palms right on the bare skin peaking through the waist of her dress, encouraging the smallest gasp from Maya. "Me too." With a burst of confidence, he yanked her toward him, their bodies colliding, his fingers pressing into her back as he gaped down at her with that sly smirk he'd had on all night.

Maya raised one eyebrow in question at him, continuing to dance, the sounds of stomping feet and drunken voices blending into the music, until all she could hear was the pounding in the speakers and the sound of her own breath. Maybe it was the alcohol, she thought, though one drink had never effected her like this before. She tore her gaze away from Lucas's, directing it behind him, making eye contact with a guy in a suit at the bar, who seemed to already be looking at her. She shuddered a bit before pulling Lucas closer, trailing her hands down his abs and his back, mulling over the idea of pressing her lips to his neck, something she'd never thought she'd even be close enough to him to do.

It felt like Maya's fingers were full of electricity, sending shockwaves through every inch of skin where they wandered, his body humming with voltage, his brain electrocuted, wiped clean of any thought other than the way a fire ignited every time her hips bumped his. He couldn't think, could barely breathe, drowning in the moment and swimming in the blue lights flashing behind his closed eyelids.

Suddenly, he felt a warm kiss at the base of his jawline, and just like that, the same electricity that shut him down woke him up. He stepped back abruptly, shoving her away from him with force. He cleared his throat, "I uh, have to use the restroom." He stuttered, zooming past her with no further explanation.

"Wait, Lucas…" Maya attempted to catch him as she woke up from her daze, her limbs still tingly, slowly losing their sweet warmth now that he was gone. She turned to stone in the middle of the dance floor, the heels of her shoes seeming to root themselves into the floor, forbidding her from moving. She began to panic as she replayed the moments that preceded; the arm on the bar, the arms around his neck, the hair flipping, her hands all over him…her lips on his neck. The one, fleeting decision that had turned their lighthearted, friendly game into something she was unsure if she could take back- or if she wanted to.

"Hello, beautiful." The roots tying her to the ground ripped as she jumped at the sound of a low voice in her ear, and hot, unwanted breath on her neck.

She whipped her head around, trying her best to conceal her fear. "Hi…" She said reluctantly. The guy looked nice enough, he was normal sized and fit, with floppy brown hair and a nice suit that she somehow recognized; the man at the bar.

The guy reached out and grabbed her elbow, stroking her soft skin with his thumb. "Now that you're free from that loser you were dancing with, maybe you'd wanna come back home with me?"

Maya jerked her arm away from his grasp, feeling bile rise in her throat. "I'm just fine, thanks. That 'loser' is going to be back any minute now." She attempted to intimidate him with the idea of Lucas's presence, assuming this would scare him off for good.

The man spread the kind of smirk across his face that made Maya sick with anxiety. "Then we better get going." He grabbed her arm again, dragging her toward him, still smiling that disgusting smile. Maya shook her head, building up her strength for a second before kicking him square in the shin, releasing his hold on her. "I thought I told you, I'm not going anywhere." She backed away, her voice trembling as she spoke.

As if he had planned it, Lucas swooped in behind her at this moment, "What's going on here?" His eyes darted to the still-unidentified guy, who was clutching his shin, trying to stand up straight.

"Lucas, let's just go." Maya grabbed his forearm, ready to head towards the door, knowing she needed to get him away from the situation before he did something he'd regret.

"Yeah, leave with your slut of a girlfriend who just hit on me." The guy scoffed, puffing his chest out at Lucas, nonverbally threatening him.

This sent Lucas over the edge. Calmly, still, he broke away from Maya, standing eye to eye with the shin-kicked man. "What did you just say?" His tone was shaky, his eyes wide with rage, and Maya could see the veins in his temple even in the dark.

"I said…"

Lucas grabbed a fistful of the guy's collar, his knuckles turning white and his forearm shaking. "Say another word and you'll be tasting blood until next week."

The roots in Maya's heels grew back into the ground, freezing her in place, fear of the scene in front of her shaking her to her core. If Lucas made one more move, he'd regret it forever, and Maya knew this, so from her petrified stance feet away, she talked him down. "Lucas, let him go. He's not worth it." She emphasized each word as its own sentence.

"Yeah man, listen to the slut." The guy spit the last word with meaning, like it tasted bitter.

It happened in a blur- like slow motion and double speed at the same time. Lucas's fist striking the guy's cheekbone, blood in the air, a cry of pain, a body falling to the ground, Lucas looking up at Maya at disbelief at what he just did.

Maya felt dizzy, faces turning into blobs of color, voices fading into mumbles. She stepped forward, unsure if her legs even worked anymore, reaching out for the blob she thought was Lucas. "Come on, we have to get out of here." She wrapped her fingers around his wrist, her grip made of iron, not letting him get away this time.

Lucas put up no fight, still in shock himself, letting Maya drag him out of the club with no resistance. When they got outside, they walked a few blocks in silence, creating distance between themselves and the club. Once they found an isolated spot, Lucas slumped onto the sidewalk, burying his head in his knees. "I can't believe I just did that."

Maya sighed, hovering over him, her arms crossed in front of her, twirling the ends of her hair nervously. "Me neither."

He glanced up at her hesitantly, as if looking her in the eye would crush him. "I'm so sorry, Maya. You were so excited about tonight. I ruined it." He shook his head, directing his attention to his knuckles, where he could still feel the creep's cheekbone crack. At least he thought he could. Maybe that was something he made up in the mess of it all.

Maya made a "pfft" noise, waving him off, taking a seat next to him on the sidewalk, tucking her legs to the side. "He deserved it." Maya fanned his outburst off like it was nothing, more concerned about the events that led up to it. There was silence for a moment, both of them twiddling their thumbs, the only sound coming from the buzzing of bugs around the street lights and their heavy, stress filled breaths. "Thank you. I know you were just protecting me." Her voice was timid, barely slicing through the heavy silence in the air. "Like you always do."

Lucas lifted his head to look at her, his expression softening, a tender look in his eyes. "How are we gonna fix this?" His lower lip was trembling, his tone suggesting his question was about something more.

Maya smiled weakly, swallowing hard before speaking. "I don't know." She clicked her tongue, placing a hand on his knee, not caring if it was too much physical contact after the night they just shared. She was suddenly overcome with exhaustion, her eyelids feeling like they were holding up weights, her muscles screaming with fatigue. She rested her head on his shoulder, again ignoring how wrong it was. "But we will." They had to believe it. Their summer of adventures had literally just begun, and they had already done something to screw it up, so they had no other choice but to believe that this could be fixed. This was supposed the summer they'd remember forever; hopefully they'd remember it for the right reasons.


End file.
